Fire-protection suit.



A. G. ROBINSON.

FIRE PROTEGTION SUIT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20, 1910.

1 ,O82,21 3, Patented Dec. 23,1913.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. G. ROBINSON.

FIRE PROTECTION SUIT.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 20, 1910.

1,082,21 3, Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

teasers.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR Gr. ROBINSON, 0F JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE THIRTY-SECOND TO REGINALD F. PEN'ION AND ONE THIRTY-SECOND T0 CALVIN S. CROSSER, BOTH OF EAST AURORA, NEW YORK.

FIRE-PROTECTION SUIT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

Application filed August 20, 1910. Serial No. 578,198. V

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l[, ARTHUR G. Ronmsou, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Protection Suits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fire protection suits and its primary object is to provide a suit which completely insulates the wearer against intense and prolonged heat and which withal is very strong and serviceable. The suit is preferably made in sections which sheathe the various parts of the body and which are connected by flexible joints of heat resisting character.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a front elevation of the improved suit; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the back of the coat section; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the helmet and the upper part of the coat section; Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the coat section; Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing the waist joint construction which is duplicated at the knees and elbows; Fig- 7 is a detail sectional view showing the shoulder joint construction; Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view showing an element of the flexible joint construction which connects the sections; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a detail of construction which, for the sake of convenience, has been omitted from the other figures; and

Fig. 10 is a view showing an asbestos cloth covering for the magnesia blocks which make up the intermediate layer of the suit,

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The improved suit is conveniently and preferably made in sections,-these comprising a coat or body section 1, an up r leg section 2, two lower leg sections 3, two upper arm sections 4:, two forearm sections 5, and a head section or helmet 6. The sections are connected to form a properly jointed suit by flexible waist, knee, shoulder and elbow joints, the waist joint as 7 connecting the body and the upper leg sections, the knee joints as 8 connecting the upper and lower leg sections. the shoulder joints as 9 connecting the body and upper arm sections, and the elbow joints as 10 connecting the upper and forearm sections.

The body section 1 is made in two parts and these are connected by a flexible back joint, as 11, which extends from the lower to the upper end of the body section, as shown in Fig. 3.

Each section above identified consists of an inner supporting layer 12, preferably of flexible leather, an intermediate insulating layer 13, preferably of magnesia or a magnesia compound, and an outer layer 14 of refractory material, preferably mica. The layers 13 and 14 are secured to the inner leather layer 12 by suitable fastenings, preferably split pins or bolts 15, Fig. 9) which, in common with all metal parts, are sheathed by an asbestos cloth facing. 'The magnesia employed in the intermediate layer is preferably of block form although compressed fiber may be used. When block magnesia is employed it is, for the sake of convenience both as to assemblage and re- -newal, made in sections (Fig. 9) and each section is protected by a facing 16 of asbestos cloth, the blank being shown in Fig. 10. The mica layer 14 is also, by preference, made in sections (Fig. 9) and these are proportioned and arranged to overlap the seams or crevices intervening between the sections of magnesia block.

The flexible waist joint is shown in Fig. 6 and is duplicated at the knees and elbows, This joint is advantageously of the following construction. Steel rings. as 17, having a U-shaped cross section are fitted over the adjacent edge portions of the leather layers 12 of the sections 1 and 2. These rings which are faced with asbestos cloth, are secured by eye-rivets 18 which are also faced with asbestos cloth and which additionally secure a connecting strip or band 19 of thin leather and at protecting packing strip of at the same time. may completely pack the space between the sections, regardless of whether such space is widened or contracted. The rin s 17 are additionally connected by reinforcing wire or chains 21 which are sheathed with asbestos cloth and which take the weight of the suspended parts from the eyelets 18.

The shoulder joints 9 are generally similar to the waist, knee and elbow joints, differing only as to details of arrangement. .Vhereas in the case of the waist joint the sides of both rings 17 are concentrically related, in the case of the shoulder joint the sides of the ring which is associated with the section 1 are disposed in parallel planes and the ends of the wire or chain connecting links are secured at the base of said ring.

The back joint 11 is generally similar to the joints previously described with the obvious exception that straight strips of U-shaped cross section are substituted for the rings 17 This back joint constitutes a sort of a hinge for the parts of the coat section in order that said parts may be spread apart in getting into and out of the suit. The parts of the coat section are secured together at their adjacent front edges by fastenings 22 which are of the type ordinarily employed on firemens overcoats and which are secured directly to the leather layer 12, being set into recesses or cutaway portions 23 of the mica and magnesia layers, as shown in Fig. 5. One of the parts of the coat section is provided at'its front edge portion with a continuous packing strip 24 of transversely corrugated asbestos cloth which overlaps the crevice intervening between the front edge faces of said parts. A similar packing strip 25 is secured at the edge of the helmet to overlap the crevice intervening between the helmet and the neck opening of the coat section.

The exposed edge faces of the helmet and of the coat sections are sheathed with asbestos cloth facings 26 which are provided mainly to prevent wear due to the rubbing of these edge faces against one another. The helmet is not positively connected to the coat section but is suspended from the head of the wearer. straps as 27 being provided on the upper part of the helmet for this purpose. The weight of the helmet obviously prevents any shifting thereof which might otherwise be incident to the absence of positive connections. The helmet is, as usual, provided with sight openings 28 which have mica windows 29. The source of air supply tanks 30 are completely incas'ed in the layers of magnesia and mica whiclf are built up around said tanks 1n any suitable manner.

A flexible connecting pipe 32 leads from each tank 30 to the helmet. Each pipe 32 passes under the armhole to the front of the adj acent section of the coat section where it is provided with a regulating valve 33, the handle of which is of course disposed on the outside of the coat section.

Any desired means for eliminating or disposing of foul matter in the air may be employed, As such means forms no part of the present invention and is well known, I have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate the same. As an example of such means I may employ a receptacle fitted at any suitable place in the helmet and provided with a suitable chemical.

In addition to the parts herein shown and described, the suit is completed by gauntlets which form no part of the invention and are not illustrated. These gauntlets are preferably of the type commonly employed by firemen and in order that they may have a snug fit the forearm sections 5 are preferably of tapering contour as shown.

Any desired means may be employed whereby the user may lowerhimself into or raise himself from the suit; for instance a suitably located horizontal bar may be provided. In getting into the suit the lockable parts of the fastenings 22 are dissociated and the parts of the section 1 are spread apart, the joint 11 acting as a sort of a hinge for this purpose. In spreading the parts apart an upwardly flaring opening of considerable extent is presented, the dimensions of which are amply suflicient to enable the user to lower himself into position. Of course the lower edge portions of the parts of the coat section do not partake of this spreading apart movement since they are joined to the continuous rings 17. The coat section, however, has sufiicient flexibility to provide for the proper spreading of the upper portions of said parts. After the user has gotten into the suit in the manner indicated the parts of the coat section are drawn together and secured by the fastenings 22, after which the helmet is placed in position.

The suit herein described affords an absolute protection for the wearer against any degree of heat which may be encountered at a fire and at the same time has sufficient flexibility to enable the wearer to conveniently make such movements of his body and limbs as may be required. The outer layer of mica resists the effects of the heat, the inner layer of magnesia prevents its transmission to the interior of the suit, and the inner layer of leather constitutes a flexible support for the layers of mica and magnesia. The asbestos cloth facings for the metal parts and the asfor the crevices and jolnts, resists the e ects of the heat and at the same time prevents its transmission through any interstices that necessarily occur. Not only does the suit afiord splendid protection but it is very serviceable, since all the inclosed arts are completely protected a ainst the e ects of heat by the outer layer 0 mica; Furthermore the suit may be repaired at comparatively slight cost, since provision is made for making the layers of mica and magnesia in sections, which sections are secured by dissociable fastenings.

While the principal purpose of the suit is for use in fire fighting, it is also of utility for exhibition and theatrical work, particularly in exhibitions which are designed to afford practical instruction in fire fighting and in other exhibitions of spectacular character,

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A fire protection suit embodying an inner supporting layer, an intermediate layer of magnesia, the intermediate layer being made in sections, an outer layer of mica, the outer layer also being made in sections, and dissociable fastening devices to secure the layers in superposed relation.

2. A fire protection suit eomprisinga plurality of sections shaped to fit different parts of the body, each section consisting of an inner supporting layer and outer layers of protectlve material carried by the inner layer, and flexible joint connections between the sections, each joint connection embodying section connection means, and an asbestos cloth packing surrounding the section connecting means.

3. A fire protection suit comprising a plurality of sections shaped to fit different parts of the body, each section consisting of an inner supporting layer and protective layers of fire-proof and heat insulating material mounted upon the supporting layer, and flexible joint connections between the sections, each joint connection embodying metal rings secured to the mutually adjacent edges of the supporting layers, a flexible connecting band, an asbestos cloth packlng surrounding the connecting band, fastening -devices to join the band, the packing and the rings, and suspension links additionally connecting the rings. a

4. A fire protection suit embodying. an upper leg section and a coat section, each section consisting of an inner supporting layer and protective layers of fire proof and heat insulating material mounted upon 5. A fire protection suit embodying a coat;

section which consists of an inner supporting layer, and layers of protective material carried by the supporting layer, the coat section being made in parts, a flexible joint connection between the parts at the center of the back of the coat section, fastening devices for connecting the sections at the center of the front of the coat section, and a packing strip carried by one of the sections to overlie the crevice at the center of the front of the coat'sections.

6. A fire protection suit embodying a coat section which consists of an inner supporting layer and protective layers of fire proof and heat insulating material mounted upon the supporting layer, the coat section being made inparts, a flexible joint between the parts at the center of the back of the coat section, and fastening devices to connect the parts at the center of the front of the coat section.

7. A fire protection suit embodying a coat section made in flexibly jointed parts, each part comprising an inner supporting layer, an intermediate layer of magnesia, an outer layer of mica and fastening devices for securing the layers in superposed relation.

8. A fire protection suitembodying a coat section and a helmet, each section being of substantially rigid nature and including supporting and protective layers, the helmet being dissociated from the coat section and having at its lower edge an asbestos packing strip which fits over the neck portion of the coat section and closes the crevice between the mutually adjacent edgesof the coat section and the helmet.

9. A fire protection suit comprising a plu rality of sections shaped to fit different parts of the body, each section consisting of an inner supporting layer and protective layers of fire proof and heat insulating material mounted upon the supporting ayer, and flexible fire proof joints between the sections. 1 10. A fire protection suit comprising a plurality of sections shaped to fit diiferent parts of the body and flexible fire proof joints between the sections, each section consisting of an inner supporting layer, an intermediate layer of magnesia, an outer layer of mica and fastening devices to secure the layers in superposed relation.

11. In a fire protection suit, a section comprising an inner supporting layer, an intermediaterlayer of heat insulating material of relatively light weight, and an outer layer of relatively thin fire proof and heat insulating material which protects the intermediate heat insulating layer.

12. In a tire protection suit, a plurality of sections shapecl'to fit different parts of the body and each comp-rising an inner supporting layer, an intermediate layer of heat insulating material of relatively light weight, and an outer layer of relatively thin fire proof and heat insulating material which protects the intermediate heat insulating layer, and fire proof flexible joint nesses.

ARTHUR G. ROBINSON. Witnesses FRED C. MALONEY, JULIUs KovAcs. 

